BIG TREE

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro

Prior to Christmas I purchased a used book, called Color in Watercolor, by Wendon Blake, for four dollars at our local used bookstore. This book inspired this watercolor. 

It suggest's underpainting a big tree with a mixture of burnt sienna/ultramarine blue and a touch of cadmium red. Then painting over this wash with a combination of burnt sienna and phthalocyanine blue which conveys the dark branching.

I added the green horizontal ground plane to make the tree rooted in and of the landscape. After painting this I realized I love the graphic quality of this tree. I have begun to think the larger I paint this subject the more impactful it will be.

It was painted with a freedom of expression that I find quite rewarding. It was painted on Arches watercolor paper which is one of my favorite papers to paint on.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

                                                                                     (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Merry Christmas to all!

As in some previous posts I mentioned how I like to observe the light patterns and colorations of some of the local fields in the Brattleboro, VT area. Well, this is one of the fields along the West River Trail.

It felt good to paint this watercolor in one sitting. I seem to be introducing more orange into my watercolors when necessary. You can see it in the left foreground. That warmth seems to balance out the cools in this composition.

The foreground has a weaved layer of a cool green generated from the combination of quinacridone gold and cobalt blue.

WATERCOLOR STUDY

                                                                           (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Sometimes a watercolor study speaks volumes. An intuitive note, quickly put down, without any hesitation, one can build upon. At least that is what led to this image.

Usually I sample a color mixture to see if it is what I am aiming for. In the process I turn the wet pigment into a landscape. This way the color mixture does not sit simply on it's own.

The above tree massing color is the combination of raw sienna and Windsor violet. I have learned it is important in some way, to reference the shoreline in this case, with that horizontal section devoid of paint.

Watercolor Sketch

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Lately with all these winter-themed and Christmas-oriented tasks I have not had time to paint. So before I headed to bed I squeezed in time to paint an imaginary scene. With the snow and ice I am already looking forward to spring.

However, I am so glad we got snow to brighten up the landscape. For me the landscape seemed so dreary around 4 PM in the afternoon with the low light and setting sun.

I keep experimenting with this green made by mixing cobalt blue and quinacridone gold. It is useful in painting foliage, the ground and just about anywhere in the landscape.

West River Trail

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

The West River Trail in Brattleboro, VT is a nice little path to get some fresh air and stretch your legs. I always bring my camera when I head out on the trail as there are many attractions along the way. Often you see some kind of paddlers along the way whether it's canoes or sculls in the summer season. I have seen all kinds of bird activity along the Connecticut River and even in the adjacent fields.

This watercolor was inspired by one of the fields you pass along the way. It is interesting to observe the seasonal change in these fields. Some months of the year it becomes a wide open field with all the growth cut down and then it fills in over the summer with eight foot high corn.

I like the distant hills with the changing of the light and ever-changing color patterns.

SKETCHBOOK DRAWING

                                                                                   (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Drawing in my sketchbook is a truly meaningful activity. It is difficult to maintain as a daily routine, over the summer months, but whenever I can, sketching is important. I see improvement every time I draw and it makes me a much better painter. Over time I can see I am getting better at capturing the human form.

I prefer to draw in the largest sketchbook, that I can find, that is practical. This forces me to draw as large as I can. The little notepad to the right I carry around with me at work to record ideas or sketch out little landscapes.

This above pencil sketch was done from a bust of a historical figure at my local library.

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

The sky can be difficult to paint in watercolor. Particularly, if you venture away from painting a blue sky. However, the sky can truly set the mood for your painting. Yet there is so much variety in the world above the landscape.

Tweaking how I paint my sky's has been an added emphasis lately. In the late fall I noticed there is such variation in the clouds and the colors of the sky. In fact, this watercolor started out as a sky study with some of the subtle nuances of pigmentation that I have been seeing lately.

I am constantly experimenting with new color mixes in order to expand upon my palette. I discovered this lively, green just the other day. It consists of quinacridone gold and cobalt blue. Of course you can darken it with ultramarine blue or warm it with a yellow such as raw siena.

Quick Watercolor Sketch

                                                                        (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Sometimes simple brush strokes is all that is necessary. Lately, I have been preparing the house and grounds for winter. As a result I have not painted as much.

However, I am eager to get back at it. I like the color combinations in this composition. In the tree I mixed yellow ochre with permanent brown and ultramarine blue. This is a warm brown which I really like. The wash in the foreground utilizes the same ultimate blue which has a warmth to it.

I think the brush strokes are important in this image. At times it is good to not fuss with the marks that your wash may leave. Those dry brush marks and erratic strokes when done well communicate much about the character of the tree trunk, for example. Also, the fluidity in watercolor can lend much beauty in your work, regardless of the subject matter.

Coastal Maine

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Coastal Maine is such a strong experience in the psych of those who have experienced it. The smell of the ocean is so intoxicating, particularly if you have been away for some period of time. The visual and emotional associations we carry with us in our daily lives.

Recently, I was sorting through volumes of pictures I have held onto for some time when I came upon this image. The composition and simple earth colors stopped me in my tracks. Thus, I set this photograph aside and did a little watercolor inspired from this earlier this afternoon.

The ribbon of blue which is the ocean just seems to run off the page. Also, part of the spit of land projecting out in to the water disappears into the distant fog.

My Plein Air Palette

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Well, it is about time I introduced you to my plein air palette. Since the cold weather makes it more difficult to paint outside I miss using it.

As you can see it has four wells that fold out and nearly doubles the size of it's closed dimensions. Basically, I put the cool pigments(blues & greens) on the right side and the warm colors(reds & yellows) on the left side. I try not to put pigment on the end panels as they are flat and it requires more surfaces to clean.

When I am done painting on location I close the end panels and carry it in my hand to either my car or home and then clean it at home. By then I find the pigments have dried and I avoid making a mess if I put it in my painting bag. For me the most important area to clean is the hinges which can accumulate paint and the upper areas around the wells.

This palette has sixteen wells which hold pigment. One of the things I like most about this palette is that it has deep wells. I fill the wells with Holbein paint from the their pigment tubes.

I have learned to embrace and depend on this palette as painting outside can be a challenge. I like that I can paint standing up or sit down and even rest this palette on my thigh.

Brattleboro Common

                                                                        (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro

For most of the year, the Brattleboro Common is a lovely spot to hang out. In particular, I like the quality of the trees and the picnic tables. I have painted here many times in all kinds of weather. I seem to notice something different every time I am at the Common. 

Since summer I have been meaning to paint the statue on the war memorial. There is something about this figure and it's location that has captured my imagination. Maybe it's the updated plaque by the memorial - I don't know.

For me this watercolor captures some of the characteristics I think of when I think of the Brattleboro Common. The edge of meandering trees is special with the additional specimen trees scattered about the space. Also, the ribbon of a path is inviting.

BROWN in the Landscape

                                                                                     (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

More browns are entering my watercolors which I think is a good thing. In some cases browns may dull the image but they are such a natural element in the landscape. We see browns in the coloration of beaches, the bottom of rivers and in the meandering flow of things. Particularly, with the combination of greens we see such a natural or organic quality.

Yellow ochre and burnt umber makes a lively, smooth, warm brown. Cadmium red with permanent sap green and winsor violet makes a truly mud brown pigment. These pigmentations make me think of spring or summer.

I painted this watercolor on a rough scrap of watercolor paper. I don't think I have ever painted a watercolor which seemed to come out so dark. Or is it that the photograph is so dark. Anyway, I like the ribbon of a path criss-crossing in the foreground.

Hooker's Green

                                                                             C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Hooker's green is not a pigment I have used in some time. However, I read recently, how useful it is in making a greater range of greens. Since then I have put a dollup on my palette to experiment with.

As you can see in the above photograph, hooker's green adds a cool temperature to your watercolor painting. Here, I have added burnt sienna to hookers green. It has been said that hooker's green has the pigmentation of apple leaves.

Many pigments right out of the tube seem flat and unexciting. Hooker's green I definitely would concur is one of those pigments best when used in mixes with other pigments.

Stretcher Board

                                        (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro

Recently, I started a painting on a full sheet of watercolor paper. Now that I am primarily painting inside, it seemed like the time had come to paint big. It is not that I haven't painted large because I have, but there are certain issues you need to contend with at the increased scale. One is the sheet takes up most of my desk and the palette seems to get in the way.

Actually, I was eager to paint large since I got this stretcher board for my birthday, in April. I am impressed that the paper(140lb) remains as tight as a drum even when the paper is wet. I am comfortable stretching smaller sizes when needed, but it is frustrating to have watercolor paper buckle on me, particularly with the the larger sizes.

This paper stretcher is marketed as the KEBAartmate. For me it is an aid in getting me to paint larger watercolors on a more frequent basis.

A New Brown to Explore

                                                                                      (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Recently, I discovered a new lovely brown. For some time I have been searching for a rich, lively brown and finally I have arrived at one. When yellow ochre is mixed with burnt umber it creates this soft brown.

As you can see in the above photograph(of a watercolor) this brown has the color of beach sand. It certainly can be tweaked by making it cooler with an ultramarine blue or warming it up with a yellow or red, if needed.

When I learn of a new color combination I get real exited because I can begin to experiment with other colors on my palette, with a fresh approach. This begins to change how I view and thus paint the landscape.

Higgins Beach(Maine)

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Painting the sky can be a real challenge. It is the first area I focus on when starting a watercolor. For me the real challenge is not so much the sky as painting clouds in the sky. With a little more practice I believe I am progressing.

Last summer while in Maine my wife and I experienced stunning sunsets on a daily basis. It was incredible to see the sunset across the ocean but when we turned around the estuary would be just as stunning. And this is the largest estuary in Maine, not far from Winslow Homer's residence in Prout's Neck.

Also, painting the sunset pushes my palette farther than I would normally pursue. That brilliant orange you see along the horizon is a combination of quinacridone gold and cadmium red.

Fall Foliage

                                                                           (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

It really warmed up this afternoon. It was nearly seventy degrees in Brattleboro, VT. It definitely didn't feel like November. However, the sun and natural light was great.

This pleasant weather inspired me to get outside and squeeze in some plein air painting. I noticed a lot of oranges and russet colors today. I painted this at a picnic table at Fort Dummer Park. 

A few touches done in the studio will finish off this picture. There ended up to be too much repetition on the left side of this picture. All the trees and limbs seem to be of a similar size and the coloration is monotonous. I will add in some larger tree trunks and pockets of stronger color. 

I missed much of the peak foliage this season, as I have been recovering from COVID-19.

Northampton Rail Trail

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

When I can I like to bike or even walk along the Northampton Rail Trail in Hadley, MA. It is a well kept up rail trail with lovely scenic views of agricultural land for the most part. It has quality signage and areas where you can pull over to make adjustments to your bike or drink from your water bottle out of the flow of other cyclists.

This watercolor was inspired from one of my more recent trips on the rail trail. The strong light and warm ground plane really left an impression on me.

This was painted on this Masters' Choice watercolor paper which I have taken a liking to. This is a rough-textured paper which conveys a nice quality to the image.

COVID-19 & Other Thoughts

                                                                             (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

It has been a difficult process to go from painting outside to inside this year. The actual act of painting is not what has been difficult but all the stuff going on in the perimeter.

The days have gotten short so fast I have not been able to paint much of the lovely fall colors or autumnal scenes. At the same time it seems like it rains a lot or is at least damp well into the day.

Along the way I have been thinning out stuff in my studio to get in the right mindset for winter painting. I usually thin out stuff at this time of year, but this year, it seems to involve more areas of the house.

On top of all this I tested positive for COVID-19 last night. Based on the symptoms I have exhibited over the last eight days or so such as fever, chills, and sore throat etc., I have been self-isolating already.

When it was raining yesterday afternoon I was able to paint this figure study. I like the warmth of the colors.

Late Summer

                                                                                      (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

It always feels good to push watercolor and pigments around. Certain colors I associate with places or the time of year. That experience is strong for me just as smell is said to conjure up all kind of associations.

This watercolor screams of late summer with the dark canopy before the leaves change color and fall off. Likewise, the gray New England hills and the dappled light across the lawn speaks to me of the lazy days of Summer.

After a week of being ill and away from the brush I needed to paint a little cheery scene.

Watercolor sketch

                                                                        (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

I don't like to waste paper and since I am under the weather with a nasty cough this watercolor came about. You can always learn something when mixing up different pigments.

I am not sure if this is a finished picture but I like how the viewer is drawn into the picture. Alizarin crimson and permanent sap green made a nice lively brown which I put at the base of the shrubbery.

On thing I have learned is that you need to get the drawing correct. If the drawing is right the colors can make the drawing sing.

Rough Paper

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Often I will paint on a scrap of watercolor paper I have laying around. More so, if the opposite side has a painting that didn't turn out so well. Sometimes I just didn't carry the picture further for some reason, usually because of a lack of time.

This is one of those cases. In addition, I didn't realize how rough the surface of the paper was. The roughness of the paper I don't find as a hindrance as much as an opportunity. It is important to try not to fill in all the valleys of the paper with paint. Thus, I need to lay down my brush stroke and then move on to the next area to paint. I have learned to appreciate the 'sparkle' characteristic of where the paper is absent of any pigment.

As a side note I have been introducing more browns into the colorations of the structure of my trees. I don't really know if this development I am conscious of or not. Many tree trunks from my observation have a gray or purplish coloring depending on the light or time of year, however, there is a warmth when in the light.

Living Memorial Park

                                                                          (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

When I go to our local park, Living Memorial Park, in Brattleboro, VT, often I experience great vistas of the landscape with dramatic contrasts in light. This was one of those days. Even the road had interesting color patterns.

What I do like about this watercolor is that it was painted in around one and a half hours. I was locked in with few distractions enabling me to move across the page with no real hesitancy.

I find myself learning and experimenting with each watercolor, regardless of the topic. It has been said that painting is about seeing. I concur with that insight. 

The West River

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Recently, I walked along the West River in Brattleboro, VT. It was a late afternoon and the sun was shielded by the clouds for a period of time. So I took a photograph which appeared as if it were a black and white image.

Days later this made think I should consider painting a monotone watercolor or a sepia-colored painting.

Well this is what I came up with and I kind of like it. It is a stark image but strong in conveying the tree, river and distant landscape. To me it appears timeless as if it could have been painted one hundred years ago.

I only used three pigments to paint this scene: sepia/ultramarine blue and permanent sap green.

The Upper Field

                                                                            (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

It is always satisfying to paint the landscape whether it is outside or in the studio. To observe the colors out in the environment is a noble activity. Or at least I think, so as they are constantly changing.

This is the upper field at the Brattleboro Retreat. I hadn't walked through the trails, forest or fields in quite some time. I acknowledge the colors are going to change soon and a majority of the foliage will fall.

I prefer to combine quinacridone gold with either ultramarine blue or viridian for the yellow-green or green of fields.

Plein Air Painting

                                                                             (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

On Saturday I was fortunate to attend a free, local, watercolor workshop with my mom. It was a little less than three hours in length. However, it was great to paint outside, as the seasons are rapidly changing. When we arrived at the painting location the temperature was still in the forties with a few drops in the air and much cloud cover.

I got off to a rough start with my painting as I was sitting on the edge of an uncomfortable stone wall which had a lovely vantage point. My original location was occupied by two other people so I had to adjust on the fly.

I only got so far with my picture but it seemed like I was heading in the right direction. In the distance are New Hampshire mountains with Mount Monadnock just off the page to the right. Compositionally, I like the idea of framing the picture with the tall tall birch tree on the left and the evergreen towards the right.

Every painting experience is different but I seem to look at the sheet of the paper and the pigments differently all the time. I seem to paint more direct all the time with little hesitancy. However, at least when painting, I often feel pressed for time.

Watercolor Sketch

                                                                                    (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Watercolor is such a versatile medium. You can paint your watercolors on so many different surfaces from paper to boards to even Yupo, a synthetic surface. Gouache can be used with your watercolors if you need to achieve an opaque quality. This versatility makes it useful to record an experience or a setting right on the spot. And of course, you can paint from memory, too.

This watercolor was painted on one of the inside covers of a watercolor block I have been using. This smooth surface has nearly a cardboard thickness too it.

I enjoy experimenting with any surface I can find to see how the pigment responds to the paper. For example with hot press paper the pigment sits on the surface while with cold press or rough paper you can utilize a dry brush technique which can suggests texture such as on rocks or grasses along the shore.

Color Studies

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

After months painting outside, primarily, it feels good to paint indoors. Naturally, painting inside is an entirely different experience than in the outdoors. When painting indoors it is easier to paint larger and at your own pace.

I am constantly searching for new color combinations. In particular, rich, lively, darks are a gem if I come upon them. I like this new combination of phthalo blue and burnt sienna which creates a cool,  dark green.

The other thing I am interested in is the absence of color in some of those color swatches above. When you paint with interesting edges full of expression where you don't have paint suggests a landscape unto itself.

The Tunbridge Fair(The World's Fair)

Last week I spent a beautiful day at the Tunbridge Fair (Tunbridge, VT)with my brother and mom. The Tunbridge Fair is one hundred and fifty years old which was started during the Ulysses S. Grant Administration.

We saw pigs racing, horse pulls, baby calves, oxen and a myriad of other animals celebrated as part of the rural extended family. Also, there was a roller coaster and ferris wheel along with fried dough and blooming onions.

This photograph may not be of a watercolor but it may lead to a series of watercolors. There were so many community events which drew people together to reflect upon.
 

Sketchbook Painting

                                                                     (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

It is that time of year to start using my sketchbook on a more regular basis. It is not that I have stopped drawing, however, with the days getting shorter there is more time in the evening.

I do like these Holbein multi-drawing books which take watercolor washes well.  In addition, to painting figures and landscapes I like experimenting with color swatches in these books. 

It is rewarding to page through these sketchbooks at a later date to see how you have progressed or where you were at during a certain time period.

Brattleboro Retreat

                                          (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro

 

The Brattleboro Retreat is an iconic institution in Brattleboro, Vermont. It has a long history of serving people and thus shaping their lives while simultaneously being shaped by the land. Also, it is situated within a lovely basin of water, fields, hills and forests.

Every time I drive along Route 30 near town I have an urge to paint in plein air, some aspect of the landscape. 

This watercolor was painted late one afternoon at one of the Brattleboro Retreat's picnic table's under a dense canopy of one of their maple trees.

The body of water, distant hills and reeds which edge the shoreline, make for a pleasant landscape in my mind and memory.

Late Summer Fields

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Late summer has some lovely, rich colorations before the real fall colors move in. This local scene is full of greens including the canopy of blue-greens at the top of the picture.

In particular, I like the colors of the driveway with the warm shadows cast. That little bit of red makes all the difference in this watercolor.

I painted this on Langton Prestige(Daler Rowney) rough, watercolor paper. This versatile paper is made in the United Kingdom and had become difficult to find in the states. Many years ago it was readily available- even somewhat locally.

Higgins Beach(Maine)

                                                                            (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

My wife and I spent part of our summer vacation this year at Higgins Beach in Maine. We experienced amazing sunsets and even a full moon. This really made us appreciate the time we were there and gave us a break from our regular routine.

This watercolor is not my usual kind of painting with a heavy dose of grays. However, you can see the drama we experienced each evening at the beach. All that is missing is the sound of the waves lapping or in some cases thundering amongst the rocks and beach. The incoming tide really changes everything, not to mention the shoreline.

As a footnote, I was not able to send out my post yesterday as our internet was unexpectedly down. It has not been fully restored but hopefully things will be back to normal soon.

Brattleboro Common(plein air)

                                                                              (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Summer has come to an end at least for most people. Schools are starting or have started and the days have gotten much shorter. 

On Friday I painted this scene on the Brattleboro Common from a picnic table. The greens and natural light were spectacular. However, it felt like the seasons was about to change. The Brattleboro Common at times became quite devoid of people.

I like the burst of color and intensity of greens which oozed across the moist paper. The shadows were full of life and character too. 

Often I find in watercolor you have to let the pigment do it's own thing. It's so easy to overwork the medium and it will show. The more you push pigment around the more diluted the wash becomes. This is one of those times where the freshness of the medium is very satisfying.

Scott Farm(Plein air)

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Earlier this week, The Saxton's River Art Group, had a plein air session at the Scott Farm in Dummerston, VT. Little did I know it was to be the last of their season. It still was only August but they had no other locations scheduled.

I went to paint outside with the group. However, it was hot and humid, with temperatures into the nineties.

Prior to lunch, this is how far I got with my watercolor. I like the subject I selected but it needs some finishing touches. 

The roof in the lower right is of a shed that has collapsed to the ground. I thought about excluding it from the composition but then thought it may ultimately add context to the overall scene. 

My biggest criticism is of the oval shape right of the barn which is a sloped lawn. Either I need to lift some of the green away in that area or carry that color to other lawn areas on the other side of the drive. This will make the landscape read better and convey a greater sense of harmony.

I could add more color to the barn and strengthen the shadows under the eves of the barn roof. In addition, the shadows cast from the cluster of trees in the foreground might best be enlarged to give them a greater presence. The gate in the middle of the painting needs some fine line work but overall I think the painting is heading in the right direction.

Long Pond(Mount Desert Island, Maine)

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

It feels good to paint on Arches watercolor paper again. Lately, I have been painting in a small Holbein travel book and on other various papers. However, for me Arches is a lovely surface, at least on cold press as it takes washes so well. Also, it gives you time before the paper starts to dry.

I painted this watercolor study tonight of Long Pond which is on Mount Desert Island in Maine. The colors in the photograph are far more muted than in the watercolor. It almost had a tropical feel to me. Of course, the winter feel would be entirely different.

This image reminds me of summer. Time sure does pass.

Andrew Wyeth @ The Farnsworth Art Museum

 

In July, my wife and I, made our annual visit to the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, Maine. We usually stop on our way back to Vermont.

This year we spent two nights in Rockland and discovered what a lovely town it is. We were able to walk everywhere from where we were staying. There are some lovely old neighborhoods with charming architecture and large shade trees. Ed Hopper painted a watercolor, back in his day, of the inn we were staying in. There was a large print of his watercolor down in the hallway which added a bit to our stay.

At the Farnsworth Art Museum there is usually a gallery or two dedicated to Andrew Wyeth. Viewing his paintings in person never gets old. The scale of his paintings and the people he portrayed draw you into his pictures. In our daily lives we don't usually see watercolors that are four feet long. His drawing ability and unique perspective of capturing the landscape is extraordinary.

This is one of Andrew Wyeth's classic watercolors which was on exhibit.

DAVID CURTIS: The Landscape in Watercolour

 

When my wife and I were on vacation in Maine I bought this used book, titled David Curtis: The Landscape in Watercolour. It cost eight dollars and is one of the best books I have in my watercolor library. Curtis offers no nonsense advise on working in watercolor from his years of experience painting.

I had just left the Farnsworth Art Museum at the end of the day in Rockland, Maine. It occurred to me there might still be an art store in business on the main drag. I got in the store before it closed for the day. I didn't realized they had such an excellent collection of used art books. 

David Curtis is also accomplished in painting oils, so I purchased another book he had in the art store for under eight dollars, too. It is titled A Light Touch: Painting Landscapes in Oils. Both books are hard backs.

You never know what you will find when traveling.

Higgins Beach

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Summer vacation now seems like a long time ago. The days are getting shorter and the nights are cooler. However, my wife and I have some wonderful memories of our time in Maine. We had some of the most amazing sunsets I can remember.

I painted this watercolor of the late day sun along a beach in southern Maine. The pinkish sky reflected across the ocean was so dramatic along with the lapping water and the great stretch of uninterrupted beach.

I used a limited palette for this picture and pre-stretched a piece of Arches watercolor paper.

Park by Wells Fountain(Brattleboro, VT)

                                                                   (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

On Friday after paying my property tax bill in person, I noticed a shady spot, in the middle of town, where I could squeeze in some painting. So I set up my painting supplies and painted this scene. 

If it looks dry to your eye it is because the ground has been in a drought for some time. I think the colors reflect this.

I sat on a low stone wall which is connected to this patio with drystone pavers in the foreground. Putney Road slices through the picture towards the top of the painting. 

When painting outside you have to make many decisions rapidly, including deleting many elements in order to keep the composition simple and readable. This was fun to work on even if it is not by best painting.

Walker Farm

                                                                            (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Earlier this week I joined artists from the Saxton's River Art Group for a plein air outing. We painted outside at the Walker Farm, in Dummerston, Vermont. 

It was forecast to be hot and humid and it sure was. When I hopped in my car to leave around mid-day the temperature gauge read ninety-seven degrees outside.

Fortunately, I found some nice shade under a tree and was able to set up my painting gear on a stone wall with this view across the farm.

West River Trail

                                                                  (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

This painting has been sitting on my desk. It was painted at the end of winter. At the time there was the promise of spring after a winter of closures due to Covid-19. However, in the spring, we didn't really have any rain to speak of.

So here we are months later - in a heat wave with a greater drought. However, we have had some flash storms the last two days.

While I return to viewing this watercolor I don't know if I am reflecting on this time or projecting the future. However, I do find the image calming with such clarity of light and the increased length of day.

Madame Sherri Forest

                                                                           (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Before heading to Maine for a vacation in July I did a bit of plein air painting. 

This was painted at the Madame Sherri Forest in Chesterfield, NH. This is a lovely 513 acre landscape consisting of a pond, woods and views of Wantastiquet Mountain. The reflections and wildlife in and around the pond were very lively.

In this painting I particularly like the brushwork in the foreground. The bold colors, loose brushwork and white of the paper add much to the experience of the landscape.

Watercolor Study

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

When time is limited a small watercolor can be just as satisfying as a full sheet. I painted this after I got home from my vacation from Maine. 

Basically, I painted this from memory. It reminds me of the estuaries my wife and I drove and walked through along the coast in southern Maine. I read at a kiosk that this estuary is the largest in the state of Maine. It is a beautiful landscape unto itself.

On our vacation we experienced some of most incredible sunsets I have ever seen. The sunset across the ocean and the estuary which made it so dramatic. Often, I took walks in the evening to experience the setting sun or catch the full moon.

The Brattleboro Common

                                                                          (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro

The other evening I drove by the Brattleboro Common in the early evening and saw the largest crowd I have ever seen at that location, All sitting patiently, watching musicians perform. So I stopped by and realized the Brattleboro Common has a lot subject matter I could paint. It even has a war memorial up on a pedestal.

What I like about this plein air is that it captures in color the drought we have been experiencing. In other words, you can feel the temperature of the mid-day sun, through watercolor painting.

The other thing about painting is that it makes you see things for what they are. The shadows have a more organic wash than I usually use. They are not the cold gray colors I sometimes use to express the shadows when there are strong light contrasts.

 

Bar Island

                                                               (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

 My wife and I toured Maine over the last two weeks. We were fortunate to experience many evenings with stunning sunsets. Of all the times I have visited Maine over the years I don't ever recall such good weather. The one evening it rained it cooled everything off.

On Bar Harbor, Bar Island is known as a great sunset location. Actually, when the tide is low you don't even have to go out as far as the island to experience the setting sun. There is usually quite a flow of people walking along the shore with their sandals in their hands and dogs and kids running about.

This watercolor was inspired from a previous experience out towards Bar Island with the setting sun. If you time it right it is an unforgettable experience.

Mid-Summer Day

                                                                            (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

I painted this on the green in Bar Harbor, Maine. It is a lovely setting with a captivating view towards the ocean. I deleted many elements to simplify the composition. There were many distractions all around me including many onlookers and children running about. Not to mention the numerous dogs people take with them.

Originally, I wanted to paint this lovely fountain on the corner of the green, in part since it was a hot day. There was a lovely wall I could perch on in the shade. However, a greyhound bus parked and blocked my view of the fountain. 

One thing I have learned is that you have to be flexible and willing to adapt to situations which arise when painting outside in the elements.

Cedar Street(in oil)

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Several years ago I painted this scene along Cedar Street in Brattleboro, VT. What was significant was this picture was painted in oil. This was painted on a 9" x 12" panel.

I seldom paint in oil but have a desire to paint in oil again. 

Working in oil only with a palette knife appeals to me. One can achieve interesting surface marks with a palette knife plus it is much easier and faster with regards to cleaning up when no brushes are involved.

Finally, I had technical glitches and was unable to send my post out last night. Apologies for all about that.

Late Day Light

                                                                          (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Sometimes you have to paint on the back of a watercolor you already painted. Time may be limited or that is the only sheet you have to work with. That was the case today. For me it is no loss. I figure every painting I do is the result of accumulated knowledge and enhanced judgement. 

There have been some amazing sunsets this month. The evening light changes rapidly creating great drama right up to the final fading light. We even have had a full moon lately,

Painting landscapes is very rewarding. The very act of painting the landscape makes you see things you would not ordinarily notice. Also, it makes you slow down and reflect on things.